DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions Lilian Siyunyi has written to the Judicial Complaints Commission informing them that she has sought clearance from President Hakainde Hichilema to freely respond to the various complaints against her without being constrained by the oath of secrecy.
In a letter dated April 25, 2022, addressed to the JCC Chairperson and seen by News Diggers, Siyunyi said she would only be able to file responses to the complaints against her once she received clearance from the President.
She however denied the complaints against her describing them as false.
“RE: various complaints against myself. Reference is made to the above stated matter. I have received a number of complaints all of which are false and I deny the same. Your commission has requested that I exculpate myself in the same false allegations. I have since sought clearance from the Head of State His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, as I am constrained by the oath of secrecy I swore, only the President can waive it,” stated Siyunyi in a letter which was also copied to the complainants.
“Take note that the responses to your commission will hinge on the information I received in my official capacity as Director of Public Prosecutions. Further, I have been constrained to respond to all sentiments expressed by the minister of justice on different media platforms due to the same oath of secrecy. In this regard, I shall only be able to file responses when I receive clearance from the President.”
During a press conference,M onday, President Hichilema said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was wrong to grant immunity to former KCM provisional liquidator Milingo Lungu, and therefore she was on her own.
The Head of State also said the DPP was also wrong to write a letter to DEC boss Mary Chirwa after the arrest of Milingo, and as such, she needed to be reported to the Judicial Complaint Commission.
“The DPP has no power to arrest, the DPP has the power to prosecute, that is the separation of power. Now how can she stop people from arresting others. DEC has the right to arrest, so as the ACC, so as the police. The DPP cannot tell the DEC not to arrest Milingo, the DEC can arrest Milingo if Milingo has broken the law, they can arrest Milingo 20 times, if he has broken the law 20 times. I encourage them to do so, DPP has no right to say ‘don’t arrest Milingo’, who is she? Where has she drawn her powers from? She doesn’t have any of those powers. She wrote a letter to Mary Chirwa, not to arrest Milingo, that is wrong, somebody must complain. I am encouraging Zambians to complain to the Judicial Complaints Commission, that is not victimisation. Then she offers immunity to Milingo, that is wrong another complaint must go to the Judicial Complaints Commission and then the law takes its course. God help her! God help us,” said President Hichilema.
